Knitting machine



Sept. 20, 1938. v. LOMBARDI KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1936 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1936 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR, Hncmomard ATTORNEY.

Sept. 2Q, 1938. v, LQMBARm 2,130,769

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1935 l2 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR,

BY L/ncent Lomali, :1J 7%/ W47 mm ATTORNEY.

Sept 20, 193s. v. LQMBARDI 2,130,769

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Deo. 5, 195e l2 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY.

Sept. 20, 1938. v. LOMBARDI KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1936 12 Sheets-SheetV 5 INVENTOR fncent lomazl /y//f Q ATTRNY.

Stpt. 20, 1938. v LQMBARDl 2,130,769

KNITTING MACHINE Filed DBC. 5, 1956 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 Sept- 20, 193s. v. LOMBARDI 2,130,769

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1936 l2 Sheets-Sheet 7 A `HIHHIIIIIII INVENTOR.

A'ITORN EY Sept. 20, 1938.

V. LOMBARDI KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1936 l2 Sheets-Sheet 8 Sept- 20, 193s. v, OMBARD1 2,130,769

KNITT ING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1936 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENT OR,

ATTORNEY.

V. LOMBARDI Sept. 2o, 193s.

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1936 12 Sheets-Sheet l0 INVENTOR. Z'dwan LomLa/nli ATTORNEY.

Sept. 20, 1938. v. LoMBARDl KNITTING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Dec. 5, 1936 I 'INVNTOK @man1/L di, 7W /fm Filed Deo. 5, 19:56

12 Sheets-Sheet 12 www.

INVENTOR, fkwmt L d ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.13am1 y mfr-Tmc miem Vincent Lombardi, Garden City, N.

to Lombardi Knitting Machine Co Y.; assigner Inc., New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 5, 1936, Serial No. 114,317

l 59 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines. An object of the invention is the provision of a knitting machine 'embodying improved means .for embodying an auxiliary yarn into a fabric in such a manner that vdesirable design effects may be obtained. l

'A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a knitting machine which is simple in construction, and certain in operation, and

whereby an auxiliary yarn may be effectively embodied in a fabric at desired points with a minimum utilization of yarn'. y

A further object of the invention is the provision of improved means for feeding an aux- 1,5 iliary yarn into position Vto be received by desired ones .of a limited number of needles.

Another object is' the provision in a circular knitting machine of simple and compact means for supporting an interior member in such a manner that it will not partake of the relative rotation of the operating means with respect to the needle cylinder. u Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

' The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements'. and arrangement of` parts, which will be exemplied in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope of the' application 4of which will be l $1) indicated inthe claims. l

Fora fuller understanding of thenature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying' drawings, in

which:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of one form of machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with certain of the parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, top view showing a portion with a sinkerbed and one of the supplemental yarn feeds;

Fig. ,3a is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view along the line 3ft-3a of Flg.'3; 445 Fig. d is an enlargedfragmentary, vertical sectional view showing the supply lingers and the associated mechanism; Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken thru the needle bed showing a needle ready 60 for selection;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing a later stage in its operation;

y Fig. 'I is a similar view showingthe needle at a still later stage,and showing a portion of the I6 cam-control mechanism;

the needle at (ci. ca -135) p Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the parts shown in Fig. 3 taken from the outside of the cylinder;

, Fig. 9 is a' perspective view of these parts taken from the inside of the cylinder Just after a finger has been swung outwardly;` Y 5 Fig. l0 is a similar view ,showing theauxiliary yarn caught by the supplementallyarn feed, and the needles in the process of retraction;

Fig. 1l is a similar view showing the auxiliary yarn released by a supplemental yarn feed;

Fig. 12 is a similar view taken at the time of the passage of `a main yarn feed and showing one manner of operation;

Fig. 13 is a similar view showing another Vman-- ner of operation; Y

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing a position of the needles for catching auxiliary yarn into courses wherein the main yarn is knitted so that the auxiliary yarn will appear. at least primarily, on the back of the fabric;

. Fig. 14a is a viewsimilar to Figs. 12 and. 13 showing the positioning of the needles for the knitting of theV main yarn in the portion of the fabric shown in Fig. 414;

Fig. 14h is a perspective view from the inside 25 p of the cylinder showing Va ribbon fabric as formed by a modified type of operation;

Fig. 15 is a horizontal, sectional view showing the finger-operating means on an enlarged scale;

Flg.,l is a vertical section on the line I6--i6 so of Fig. l5:

Fig. 1'1 is a perspective view of a portion of the cam-operating mechanism;

Fig. iii is-,a side view of another portion thereof;

Fig. 41i) is a top view of a portion of the mech- 35 anism shown in Fig. i8; Fig. 20 is-'an end view of the left hand portion of themechanismofFlg. ifi;

Fig. .21 is a somewhat diagrammatic side view of a portion ofthe machine looking toward the 40 needle cylinder: ,Y

Figs, 22-36 are diagrammatic views showing a modified form of operation;

Y, Fig. 27 is a view of the mechanism shown in Fig, 21 as modified to cause the operation disclosed in Figs. 2246;

Fig. 28 is a view of the rearside of one type of fabric which may be produced by the exemplied machine in accordance with the invention;

Figs. 2li-3l are front views of three of the many other types of fabric -which may be produced on the exemplified machine in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 32 is a larger front view of another type of fabric which may be produced in accordance with the invention;

Fig. '33 is a schematic view showing how the mechanism oi Fig. 21 may be modified to produce a fabric wherein all of the wales or any desired ones thereof may have design portions in certain parts of thesame;

Fig. 34 is a similar view showing the mechanism at a slightly later stage in the operation of the machine;

Fig. 35 is a schematic top view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 33;

Fig. 36 is a perspective detail view showing the construction of one set of the travelers of Figs. 33-35 and the trip mechanism therefor;

Fig. 3'? is a similar view showing the construction of the other set of travelers and the trip mechanism therefor: and

Fig. 38 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a form of machine embodying a needle dial as well as a needle cylinder.

Ordinarily in the embodiment of an auxiliary yarn into a fabric. as in the formation of stripes, squares. triangles, circles, or other design portions of a yarn of one color or character in a fabric the maior portion of which is composed of yarn of another color or character, the yarn is fed to the needles at a point where it is desired to embody it into the fabric, and is carried along each course between these points, either being allowed to hang loose on the back of the fabric or being caught into the fabric in one or another manner. This results in considerable wastage of yarn, particularly'when the design portions are widely spaced in the direction of the courses, and also results in undesirably.

weighting down the fabric with this yarn. By the avoidance of lrunning the yarn continuously along a course these dimculties may be eliminated, and adesirable fabric such, for example, as fabrics of the general type exemplifiedv in my Patent No. 1,589,474, dated June 22, 1926, and a Awide variety of other types of design fabrics may be produced in a particularly economical manner. Proposals for the formation of vertically striped fabrics and certain other design fabrics by catching supplemental yarn in individual needles have been made, but such machines are'of a highly complicated or otherwise unsatisfactory nature and the number of design effects which can be secured is restricted.

With the foregoing in view the present' invention contemplates the provision of a relatively simple and highly effective machine whereby a wide variety of design fabrics may be efficiently and economically produced. In accordance with the invention there may be provided a machine embodying a number of highly desirable features which cooperate in securing'the various results desired. but it is to be understood that machines omitting various of such features are nevertheless included within the scope of the invention in various of its broader aspects.

Among such features is the provision of yarn feeds for auxiliary yarn, which yarn feeds form a part of the operating means and rotate therewith when the needle bed is stationary, or are l .the operating mechanism, such auxiliary yarn feeds being arranged to catchand release the yarn at desired points.

Another such feature is the arrangement of the yarn feeds in a particularly effective manner.

Another such feature is the provision of means .whereby a wide variation in pattern effects may be secured.

Another such feature is the provision in'a stationary cylinder machine of operating elements whereby the possibility of interference between the various elements is reduced to a minimum.

Another such feature is the provision of means to tie in the rearwardly-extending portion of an auxiliary yarn.

Another such feature is the provision of auxiliary yarn feeds of a character which will exactly dispose a laterally-extending yarn for proper ,x

auxiliary yarnpor other interior member as, for

instance, a support for dial needles, maybe prevented from partaking of the relative rotation of the operating meansv with respect to a needle cylinder. In this connection it ls to be observed that in circular machines the fabric is ordinarily formed in a tube which hangs down the inside of the cylinder and is withdrawn laterally at the bottom, so that interior members cannot be supported from within the cylinder. Such interior means cannot be supported by lateral arms since the main yarn and the supply means therefor partake of the relative movement of the operating means with respect to the cylinder. The support of such interior means from a central point above the machine provides a cumbersome, and in many instances an impractical structure; and the difficulties in providing a firm support without a great increase in weight and in movability of a. machine will be apparent. Proposals have been made for freely `supporting such means from a part of the operating means, cooperating lugs on the interior means and on the needle cylinder being provided to prevent the rotation of the interior means. The tube of fabric, however must pass between these lugs with the result that the portion of the fabric drawn thru the lugs tends to be distorted or worn. the withdrawal of the fabric is made more difficult, and the passage of selvaged edge fabrics, and fabrics having thickened portions, is interfered with. In accordance with the presentqinvention an interior member may be prevented from partaking of relative movement by means carried by the operating means itself, as for instance by gear means associated with the rotating mechanism, with the internal mechanism. and with a part which is normally immovable with respect to the needle cylinder.

Other suchfeatures are the provision o1' variability in the design of the fabric produced by a single machine with a minimum of alterations.

Stili other such ,features will be pointed out hereinafter.

In the form of machine exemplified in Figs. 1-21 there is provided a needle bed which, in the present instance, is in the form of a needle cylinder 5 carried on a stationary framework. About and above this cylinder there extends rotatable operating means including a mounting means I which carries a cam ring 1, the operating means being driven in any well-known or suitable manner. Connected with the rotatable `mounting means by means of posts 8 and forming a part oi the operating means. is a supporting means i carrying a rotatable piece II on which the usual yarn bobbins il are carried. Freely mounted on the supporting means l is an interior carrier member I2 on which bobbins i3 for supplemental yarn, and supplying mechanism therefor are carried. An annular rack Il is mounted on the carrier l2, and an annular rack I is freely carried on the mounting means 9 in which are journaled rods l5 at the ends of which are gears meshing respectively with the racks Il and I5. The racks are each of the same size and gears I1 and I8 are each of the same size. In order to prevent rotation of the `rack I5 "with the mounting means 5 there is provided an arm I3 carried on a stationary post 2li and extending into the on the rack I5, so that after the pin has contacted with the arm I9 the rack will no longer rotate but will constitute to all intents and purposes a stationary member. Since, therefore, the rods IE with their gears I1 and I3 are rotating with the mounting means about the axis of the machine the rods will rotate on their own axes due to the meshing of the gears IB with the rack i5, and due to the latter rotation the gears I1 will cause the rack Il and the carrier I2 on the one hand, and the mounting means 9, on the other, to have a relative rotation. 'This relative rotation between the carrier member and the supporting and mounting means 5 and 3 is ordinarily at the same speed as the speed of relative rotation of the latter with respect to the needle cylinder and is in such direction that the carrier member is normally stationary with respect to the needle cylinder. In this manner yarn from the carrier member I2 may be i'ed to certain needles or groups of needles at any desired time without being carried around the needle cylinder, so as to permit vertical and other striping and other design effects to be incorporated in the fabric in a particularly eii'ective and economical manner. In certain instances it is desirable that the relative position of the carrier member I2 and the needle cylinder be shifted, and to permit this the arm I9 is so mounted on post 20 that lt may be shifted so as to alter the position of the carrier member by an amount corresponding to the diilerence between one or more needles. In the present instance this is accomplished by securing the arm i3 on the rod 2li by means of a set screw 2l' and by providing a handle 22 to permit ready shifting of the arm upon release oi the set screw. The arm also carries a pointer 23 extending above a dial 2l on the post 2l so that the amount of shifting of the rod can be determined.

The needle bed 5 carries in its slots 25 a series of needles 26 which, as exempliiied, are of one of the types disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 76,754, illed April 28, 1936, being provided at their lower ends with a surface 21 adapted to bear against a portion 2l on the bed to cam the lower ends of the needles laterally when they are moved longitudinally, in the present instance, when they are raised. As exemplified, the needles are of the latch type being formed at their upper end with latches 29, and the needles are held in place by the usual annular spring 33. The bed carries a Sluiter-carrying member 3l, in the slots 32 of which there are disposed sinkers 33 which, with the exceptions hereinaftermentionedQare of the usual type. y

'111e actuator mechanism in the present instance comprises a multiplicity of units arranged about the cam ring 1, each unitin the present instance being similar to each of the other units. Each of these units comprises, as will be seen from Fig. 2l, a removable and replaceable pattern wheel 3l heid in place by a nut 34a., a raising cam 35, an adiustable supplemental raising cam 35. an adjustable long-butt cam 31, and a stitch cam 38. Each pattern wheel is arranged with suitable selective cuttings and grooves, these ordinarily being different on various of the wheels. The grooves are operative against the butt surfaces 39 on the needles to raise selected needles from a position A to a position B.

As will be seen from Figs. 5 and 6, this movement of the needle results in the lower ends of the needles being thrust laterally due to the camming of the surface 21 against the portion 28, and serves to bring into the path oi movement of the succeeding cam 35 the cam-engaging surface Ill of a. needle so raised. By means of the cam 35 each selected needle is raised to position C, which is a tucking position in which yarn will be received by the needles Without the casting of previously received yarn. When an adjustable cam 36 is in the position shown in dotted (not dot-and-dash) lines in Fig, 21 this cam will form a continuation of the cam 35 and serve to raise the needles to knitting position D. As will be apparent, a Jacquard mechanism or any desired type of selecting means may be utilized in place of the pattern Wheels and the cooperating elements shown, to provide for the desired selective actuation of the needles.

Certain of the needles are formed with longbutt portions 4I extending outwardly beyond that edge 42 which runs upwardly from the outer end of the surface 39. Other of the needles are formed without these butt portions, the edge l2 continuing upwardly to provide needles which in effect are short-butt needles. One, two, or more, short-butt needles may be interspersed between spaced ones (or small groups) of the long-butt needles, and the arrangement may be regular or irregular as desired, one form of such arrangement being indicated in Fig. 2l wherein the longbutt portions are blackened. When it is desired to raise to tucking position at a given yarn feed all the long-butt needles which were not selected by the pattern wheel andralsed by the cams 35 and 36, the cam 31 will be moved to a position such as shown in full lines at the left-hand side oi Fig. 2l, whereupon the cam 31 will engage the long butts of the long-butt needles not otherwise raised to raise these needles to the position C. If it ls desired to raise to tucking position certain of the needles of only a single group or of successive groups, as for the interlocking in (as disclosed in my Patents 1,541,230 and 1,728,293 hereinafter referred to) of auxiliary yarn instead of knitting the same, the pattern wheel will be provided with suitably spaced grooves at a. given portion of its periphery, and both the cams 36 and 31 will be held in a lower position. The stitch cam will retract all advanced needles in the usual mannen The cams 35 ind 31 may be adjusted manually or by any suitable mechanism, one form of which is hereinafter exemplied. As will be seen, this arrangement permits any desired type of yarn manipulation to be performed at any particular yarn feed as desired, the cutting oi' each pattern wheel determining whether or not the cam 35 will be operative to raise any particular needle, the axustment of the cam 36 being determinative of the extent of the raising, and the cam 31 when raised acting on the long-butt needles regardless of whether or not they have been selected by the pattern wheel. As will be understood, any of various other well known or suitable types of selecting and actuating members may be utilized without departing from the invention in its broader aspects.

'I'he machine is provided at points associated with desired ones of the actuator units with yarn feeds 42' of the usual type adapted to feed yarn from the bobbins Il, and at points associated with other of the actuator units with yarn feeds or "travelers I3 adapted to catch yarn from the bobbins I3 when the same is supplied thereto, and to feed such yarn to a limited number of needles. Each of the yarn feeds 42' is held in position on the member 3l by screws 42a, and each of the travelers 43 is held in place thereon by screws i3d, the member 3| being provided with suitable screw holes (not shown) at suitably spaced points around the machine, so that either a. main-yarn feed 42' or a traveler 43 may be provided in association with any desired one of the actuator umts. This permits wide adaptability of design, and permits the utillzation of the machine for the production of a large number of types of fabric.

In order to supply yarn to the yarn feeds 43 there are provided yarn supply lingers 44 which are carried in suitable ones of slots Si in the carrier I2 and are pivotally mounted on annular ring l5 (Fig. 4) fitting in notches 46 in the lingers Il; an annular spring 46a fitting into an annular slot lBb in the carrier i2 being provided to support them. As exemplified, these lingers M are arranged in groups, each finger of a group being adapted to supply a yarn of a different color or character so that design figures of different colors may be made to appear at different points in the fabric,-each group being composed of three lingers inthe present instance. It will be appreciated, however, that a single linger may be utilized instead of a group of fingers in instances where a design figure or figures in a given number of wales is to be of only one color and character. Auxiliary yarn extends to the thread hole Il in each finger thru an eyelet Il, over a guide I9, thru an eyelet 50, and over a sheave 5I, to the respective bobbin il for the linger. Each group of lingers (or single finger) is disposed somewhat at the rear (in the direction of rotation of the operating mechanism) of the particular needles by which the auxiliary yarn is to be knit. Each finger is normally maintained in the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 4, by means of a spring 52, but is adapted to be swung by pressure on its upper end to a position such as shown in the dot-and-dash lines.

Each of the supplemental-yarn feeds or travelers 48 is provided with a pin I3 which is adapted to catch yarn held in front of the traveler. and, as will be seen from Fig. 9, the swinging oi' a finger from an inward to an outward position will position the yarn so that it will extend in front of the traveler and will be caught by the pin. Each of the travelers has an upwardly sloping surface portion 43h serving to lift the laterally extending auxiliary yarn positioned by a linger, thus moving this yarn in a direction transverse to the direction in which it extends-so as to properly dispose it in the desired position for reception by the needles upon its being caught by the pin Il and fed to the needles. By a construction of this type the lingers, .or other means which cause the yarn to extend laterally, can be so arranged as to be most effective and to collaborate best with the other parts o! the machine, and do not themselves need to exactly dispose the yarn for proper reception by the needles.

Moreover, the yarn will be fed to all of a plurality of needles in exactly the same pomtion. The rounding of the traveler also against catching of the yarn before the pin reaches it. Each traveler I3 is associated with one of the actuator units so that all or certain of a group of needles (as selected by the pattern wheel or by such other selector member or mechanism as may be employed) may be raised to a desired point for reception of yarn from the traveler. The traveler will serve to feed the yarn to the needles in the manner, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 10. As will be seen, therefore, the proiection of the needles will not be operative to embody an auxiliary yarn into the fabric except at such times as a linger is swung outwardly, nor will the swinging of a finger outwardly feed yarn to any needles unless certain of the needles are advanced by the actuator unit. The pin 53 is retractably mounted on the traveler, and there is provided a trip member 54 pivoted at 55 (Fig. B) and carrying at its rear end a rod $6 connected to the pin (Fig. 3a) so as to retract the pin when the forward end of the trip member 5l is raised, the pin being normally held projected by means of a spring 51 acting on the forward end of the trip member. Thus the pin will continue to draw out the yarn until the trip member 5l isV tripped. In order to trip the member 5I there are provided in the slots 32 of the sinker-carrying member Il, at points suitably in advance of those groups of needles which are to manipulate the yarn to provide design eiects in particular wales, special sinkers 33a each of which has a raised rearward portion 58 which will act on the sloping surface 59 of the trip member to actuate the trip member and retract the pin, thus releasing the yarn; those needles which received the yarn having, in the meantime, been retracted by the stitch cam of the actuator unit associated with the traveler. The sinkers 33 and the special sinkers 33a are removably carried in the slots 32 in the usual manner, so that the special sinkers may be set at the proper point for the production of any particular fabric which it is desired to produce. In order to retighten the yarn as soon as it has been released by the pin and to hold it taut during its manipulation, the guide I! is supported from a resilient wire Gil which tends continuously to draw it upwardly to the positions shown in dot-and-dash lines in Hg. 4, As will be understood, it is not necessary that the lingers swing from a point within the cylinders outwardly in the manner exempliiled, but they may, incertain instances, be arranged to swing from an outward, upward, or any otherl desired point, to a point wherein they will position the yarn so that it will be caught by the traveler, suitable guide means such as il, 49, and III being provided at whatever point may be most desirable.

In the type of construction exemplified in Figs. 9-11, and 21 the pattern wheel associated with a traveler will select a plurality of needles, in the present instance ve; the cams 35 and 38 will advance these needles to knitting position D; the linger M will be swung outwardly, as shown in Fig; 9: the pin 5I of the traveler will catch the yarn and feed it to any selected needles above their latches; the needles will he retracted by the stitch cam and the trip mechanism will operate to release the yarn; whereupon the nger may beswunginwardlysoastobeout ofthewayoi a yarn carrier l2' when the latter The numberofneedlesbywhich itistoknit a supplemental yarn may be varied by-varying the position of the special snker 33a, and the position of this may be varied considerably depending on the extent of the design portions desired, the capacity of the machine, the ability of the traveler to feed yarn to a given number of needles, the spacing of the travelers and the main yarn feeds, the take-up ability of the spring 6B, and various other factors; as many as sixty or more needles being utilizable in certain instances, as when the various yarn feeders are well spaced. On the other hand, if the knitting or catching of an auxiliary yarn in only one Wale is desired, as in making a vertical stripe, or in knitting single loops in spaced courses in the same wale, the special 'sinker may be set to release the yarn almost as soon as it is caught, so that the traveler will tend to feed it only to the one needle which is raised. Depending upon the selection by the pattern wheel, any given one or ones of such of the needles as are utilizable to receive yarn from a given finger may be caused to knit at any desired course, thus enabling zigzag, triangular, curved, or other irregular effects to be readily produced as desired. The needles which knit may be spaced, if desired, so as to cause two adjacent design figures, or two adjacent but separated parts of a single design figure, to be formed. Furthermore, when desired, the pattern wheel may be caused to select only spaced ones of the needles which are adapted for the reception of a yarn from the traveler, and the cams may be adjusted, as for instance by the means hereinafter disclosed, so that the cam 36 will be in inoperative position, so that desired ones of the needles (Whether long-butt or short-butt needles) as selected by the pattern wheel will be in tucking position, as for example when it is not desired that the auxiliary yarn appear on the front of the fabric, but only on the back, as in Figs. 14 and 14a. In this case the primary yarn would be knitted at the places where the auxiliary yarn is caught in.

Tl'iose needles which are not operated to receive supplemental ,yarn from the traveler yarn feed will ordinarily be operated to receive yarn from the main-yarn feed. They may, for instance, be operated by an actuating unit such as shown at the left hand side of Fig. 21 to receive and knit yarn from a yarn feed intermediate the travelers in the manner shown in Figs. l2 and 13, or they may be caused to knit yarn from one main-yarn feed and the cam 3] or other means caused to operate alternate or otherwise spaced needles merely to catch a yarn into a fabric at one or more other main-yarn feeds, these main-yarn feeds, for instance, being arranged in succession without there being any traveler (or, at any rate, any operative traveler) interposed, and, if desired, the selecting means being arranged to cause different needles to knit at diiferent main-yarn feeds-so as to produce a fabric wherein two main yarns are so embodied in the fabric as to themselves produce designs, with one or another of the main yarns "interlocked or caught into the fabric in the certain of the manners exemplifled in my Patents 1,541,230 and 1,728,293, for example, or in other manners disclosed in these and others of my patents, or otherwise known to those skilled in the art. In the latter case either or both of the yarns at the main-yarn feeds may (for the purposes explained below) be caught into portions of the fabric where the auxiliary yarn is knitted, The removability and replaceability of all the yarn feeds and the provision of similar actuating units at each yarn feed in the exemplified construction, permits any number of main-yarn feeds to be arranged in succession without reducing the total number of operating yarn feeds on the machine, so that a compact, readily adaptable construction is provided.

When there is employed a zigzag, diagonal, dlamond-shaped, triangular, or other construction wherein the loops of the main yarn and the loops of the auxiliary yarn overlap in successive rows and are accordingly lnterknitted, the main yarn (or some or all the main yarns, as in the case when two main yarns are arranged in interlocking formation) may either be caught into the portions of the fabric where the auxiliary yarn is knitted or may be carried loosely in back of the fabric over such portions, as shown in Fig. 13 wherein the loops of auxiliary yarn are shown darker than the loops of primary yarn. In this construction the lines of loops of auxiliary yarn are staggered so that the end-loops thereof are interknitted with the end-loops of the primary yarn, diiferent end-needles being operated for the knitting of the two yarns in successive rows,-the cutting and arrangement of the pattern wheels being suitably modified to this end. When, however, the edges of a portion of auxiliary yarn are vertical '(as in Figs. 9-12), it is necessary that the yarn knitted in different portions be tied tdgether in some way, and to this end spaced ones (I, 3, and 5 in the present instance) of the (ve) needles which perform the knitting of the aux# iliary yarn (as in Figs. 9-11) and which are not advanced to knit at the main yarn feed (as in Fig. 12), will act to catch the main yarn without knitting, so as to firmly hold the different portions of the fabric together. To this end the long-butt needles which are not otherwise advanced are advanced to position C at the main-yarn feed by the cam 31 of its actuating unit, this cam 31 being held in advanced position for this purpose. It is to be understood in this connection that it is possible to advance all the needles at the mainyarn feed to position D to interknit loops with the loops of the auxiliary yarn, so as to form a double row of loops at the portions where the auxiliary yarn is knitted; and that it is also possible to cause a main yarn to be knit in every other course and an auxiliary yarn to be knit in every other course in a desired portion oi' the fabric, so that in the design portion the loops of the main yarn will be replaced by loops of auxiliary yarn only in alternate (or otherwise spaced) courses,-the pattern wheels and cams being sultably formed and arranged for such purposes. If desired also, the pattern wheel formation, or the arrangement of Whatever other selective means may be utilized, may be such as to cause the needles to catch the auxiliary yarn into certain portions of the fabric without knitting so that the auxiliary yarn will appear primarily, at least, on the back of the fabric. In Figs. 14 and 14a there is shown an arrangement of this type wherein certain spaced needles at one portion of the bed are partially advanced (to position C) to receive auxiliary yarn from one of the travelers without knitting so as to catch this yarn into the fabric in courses wherein the main yarn is knitted, the pattern wheel associated with the traveler being suitably formed for this purpose, and the cam $8 thereat being in a lower position so as to be inoperative; and the pattern wheels at the main-yarn feeds being arranged to fully advance (to position D) all the needles at this portion and the cams 36 thereat being in advanced position.

There are many instances in which it is desirable to use a circular machine to perform special jobs, such as the production of ribbon fabric; and by means of the present invention this can be rcadily done. In the present instance this may be accomplished byldisconnecting the yarn supply of the main-yarn feeds, by omission of the pattern wheels, or by substituting travelers for the main-yarn feeds and making any other necessary adjustments in the machine, whereupon the machine will operate as indicated in Fig. 14h to produce one or more unconnected ribbons of fabric. In this manner a single machine, which is ordinarily used to produce tubular design fabric, may, when necessary, be used instead of a multiplicity of ribbon machines.

As may be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the carrier I2 is slotted thruout its periphery as indicated at GI, so that fingers such as M may be provided at any desired point, thus providing for the maximum flexibility in operating characteristics. As will also be seen, the three i'lngers M, which are provided in each group in the particular arrangement exemplified, are provided with differently constructed upper ends providing surfaces 62, 63, and Bl on different levels. In order to control the operation of the fingers in connection with the passage of such travelers as are being utilized, there is provided in association with each traveler an actuating unit 65 comprising plunger cams G6, 61, and B8 disposed on planes such that they will contact the surfaces 62, 63, and BI, respectively. 'I'he finger-actuating units are carried on the posts 8 forming a part of the operating mechanism and extending, in the present instance, between the mounting means li and the supporting means 9. As will be seen from Figs. 2 and 4, when a plunger cam is advanced it will bear against the surface alined therewith on a particular finger in each group of ngers and push the upper end of that finger rearwardly to swing the finger outwardly. As soon as the plunger cam has passed, however, the spring 52 associated with the nger will tend to swing it inwardly again. In this manner the fingers are selected for operation at such times as it is desired to have the supplemental yarn embodied in the fabric in the form of a design, the particular finger of a group to be operated at any particular time is selected, and the operation is so controlled as to swing the finger at the proper times in connection with the operation of the mechanism as a whole.

In order that the operation of the plunger cams may be controlled, each of them is formed with a slot 69 (Figs. 4, 15, and 16), thru the forward end of which a post 10 mounted on the framework 1| of the unit 65 extends. The plunger cam is held in rearward (outward) position by means of a spring 12. A second post 13 extending thru slots 1l serves to hold the plunger cams firmly in place. Each of the cams is provided with a pair of rounded notches 15 and 16 adapted to receive a pin '11 on a catch member 18 which is pivotally mounted at 19 on the framework 1|; the catch'member normally being held in the position shown by the full and dotted lines by a spring 89. When a plunger cam is moved forwardly against the pressure of the spring 12 the catch member 18 will be swung by the camming action from the edge of the notch 15 to the position shown in dot-and-dash lines in Flg. 15, from which it will be pulled back by the spring 89 so that the pin will enter the slot 16 so as to hold the plunger cam in forward position. When it is desired to release the plunger cam the catch' member 19 will be swung outwardly to draw the pin out oi the notch 16, whereupon the spring 12 will push the plunger cam back into rearward position and the pin 11 will reenter the notch 15. To control the operation of the plunger cams and of the catch member 18 there is provided a control cam 8| (Figs. 1 and 15) carried on a stationary rod 92 which is movable between four positions so as to place the cam 8| in position to contact the rearward end of any one of the three plunger cams or of the catch member 18, as desired. 'Thus by properly positioning the rod B2 any one plunger cam may be moved forwardly at a given period in the operation of the machine,` or a plunger cam which is forward may be allowed to spring rearwardly by operation of the catch member or the operation of another member. 'I'he operation of the rod 82 may be controlled by any desired type of pattern-control mechanism, such for instance as the pattern chain B3 exemplified in Fig. l, this chain being provided at various points with nubs 84, B5. and 8B of different heights and with portions 81 without nubs. The nubs are adapted to bear on a lever 88 and connected with the rod 92 at 89, the lever being normally held downwardly by a spring 90.

In instances where the body of the fabric is to be composed of two primary yarns, one of which is knitted in one portion of the fabric and another of which is to be knitted in another portion of the fabric, as for instance in the production of a two-color interlocked fabric, or other similar fabrics, as disclosed in my said Patents 1,541,230, and 1,728,293, two main-yarn feeds I2' may be disposed in succession and the pattern wheels thereat cut in a complementary or other suitable fashion. In this instance, and also in instances where the operation at the main-yarn feed is of a character indicated in Fig. 12, it is desirable that both of the cams 36 and 31 which are associated therewith be in advanced positio-ns at the same time; whereas in other instances, as at the supplemental-yarn feed, and in instances where primary yarn is not interlocked with primary yarn in a design fashion, and where the needles are operated in the manner indicated in Fig. 13, it is desirable that only the cam 36 be raised. Accordingly, there is provided, as exemplified in Figs. '1, and 17-20, a form of mechanism embodying a specific feature of the invention, but which, as Willbe understood, may be replaced by other well known or suitable mechanism for obtaining the same or other types of cam operation. In the embodiment exemplified there is provided a shiftlng sleeve 9| which is aixed by means of a screw 92 to a rod 93 on the end of which the cam 36 is carried. A partial rotation of the sleeve 9| will accordingly serve to raise or lower the cam 36 depending upon the direction of rotation. The cam 31 is carried on the end of a sleeve 94 which extends about the rod 93 and inside the inner end of the sleeve 9|. If it is desired to raise the cam 31 at the same time as the cam 36 a screw 95 extending thru the sleeve 9| is screwed downwardly to bear against the sleeve 94. In order to prevent the friction of the rod 93 against the inside of the sleeve 94 from moving the cam 31 when the screw 95 is not screwed down, there is provided a screw 9B extending 'thru a tube member |96 which projects from the cam ring 1. Accordingly, in operation, either the screw or the screw 99 will be screwed down, the other being screwed up so as to be inoperative. In order to impart partial rotations of the sleeve 9| at desired stages in the operation, each sleeve 9| is provided with a trip member 90, and there is provided on a stationary arm a trip plunger |0| which is adapted to be projected into the path oi trip member 88 so that when the trip member passes it will be lifted in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 20 from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 17 and in full lines in Fig. 20 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1'1 and in dotted lines in Fig. 20, where it will be held against further movement by a surface |02 on a catch member |03. The catch member is pivotally mounted on a rod |04 carried on arm |05 on member |06 which is affixed to the mountingI means. The sleeve 9| is normally held in position, with the trip member 90 downwardly, by means of a spring |01 secured to the member |00 at |00. A spring I0! serves to draw the catch member |03 toward the sleeve 9|. The sleeve 0| carries a lug IIO which, when the trip member 93 is in upper position will bear against a shoulder |II on the catch member |03. In order to permit the return of the trip member 90 and the sleeve 5I to the position wherein the trip member is down, the catch member is pushed outwardly as for instance by a trip plunger ||2 which is projectable into the path of an arm I|2a on the catch member |03. A shoulder ||2b on the catch member serves to limit the downward movement of the trip member 98. Thus by the projection of one or the other of the trip plungers |0I and ||2 the position of the sleeve 3| is controlled.

In order to provide a pattern control for the operation of the trip plungers I0| and ||2 there is provided in the present instance mechanism including a connecting member II3 which is pivoted at ||4 and to which the rear ends of the trip plungers are pivotally connected at ||5 and H6. On the rear end of the member ||3 there is pivoted'at ||1 a link IIB which is drawn downwardly by a spring IIB and is pivoted at |20 to'an arm |2| which is pivoted at |22. The arm |2| carries a projection |22' which is adapted to rest upon one or another of either the pins |23 of a lower series or the pins |24 of an upper series on a ratchet wheel |25, one surface of the projection |22' being curved, so that the projection will rise up on a pin |24. Thus the position of the member ||3 will be determined by which of the pins |23 and |24 the projection |22' rests on. A spring-pressed pawl |26 pivoted at |21 on a link |20 serves to cooperate with the teeth |29 of the ratchet wheel to hold this wheel in position and to advance the wheel one step at a time at one or more points in each revolution of the operating means. This is accomplished thru the medium of a cam portion |30 on a part |3I carried by the mounting means 6. 'Ihis cam portion serves to project a roller |32 carried by a. link |33 so as to swing the link on a pivot |34 against the pull of a spring |35. The link |33 is pivoted at |36 to a link |31 which is pivoted to a vertical arm |38 and lxedly connected by screws |39 to the link |28, which is supported and guided at |40. The pawl |4| serves to prevent the ratchet wheel from being drawn back by the pawl |26.

In many instances it is permissible to allow that portion oi' the auxiliary yarn which is adjacent to a portion which has just been knitted to lie loosely against the back of the fabric as shown in Figs. 9, 10, and ll. In other instances, however, it is desirable that this be caught into the body of knitted yarn at one or more desired points. This may be readily accomplished in a machine of the character exemplified by causing certain, for instance alternate, ones of the needles, which have knit the auxiliary yarn as it is drawn out, to be positioned for the reception of this yarn without knitting, as it extends rearwardly after the knitting operation thereof has been completed,-ior instance certain spaced ones oi' a group of latch needles may be advanced to tucking position at this stage. For example, as shown in Figs. 22-26, a group of five needles may be advanced to receive yarn from a traveler 43 which has caught yarn from a linger 44, and be retracted to knit the yarn. Fig. 22 shows the members at substantially the same stage as they are shown at Fig. 10, and Fig. 23 shows the needles retracted. Before or after the release of the yarn from the pin 53 on the traveler 43 in the manner brought out above, the second and fourth needles of the group are advanced to tucking position as shown in Fig. 24. While the needles are in this position, the release of the finger 44 from its plunger cam in a unit 65 occurs, so that the finger will swing rearwardly thus drawing the yarn against the ad vanced needles as indicated in Fig. 25, the rear- Ward position of the finger 44 being indicated by its showing in dotted lines. Thereupon the needles may he retracted as indicated in Fig. 26. The advance and retraction of the second and fourth needles of the group may be caused by any suitable means, such means being exemplified in Fig. 21, and comprising a pattern wheel |42 similar to the pattern wheels 35, a cam |43 which is adapted to raise the needles selected by the pattern wheels to the position C in the same manner as the cam 3G, and a cam |44 which is operative after the passage of the finger-actuating unit G5 to retract the advanced needles.

In Figs. 28-31 there are shown a few of the large variety of designs which can be produced on the above described machine in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 28 is a rear view of a form of fabric embodying several designs. The portions where the primary yarn, which may be a white yarn, is knitted are shown at 200. At 20| there is shown a vertical stripe of auxiliary yarn, which may be green, which stripe is of the character shown in the process of formation in Figs. 9-11. the main yarn being intel-locked in this portion by an op eration such as shown at Fig. 12. At 202 there is shown a laterally spaced portion of the fabric wherein two auxiliary yarns are knitted to produce successive diamonds. For instance, the first finger of a group of fingers will be operated to project a red yarn 203 at each of several successive courses; and another finger, for instance the second finger of a. group. will be operated to project a blue yarn 204 for severa! immediately following courses; after which the first finger will again be operated for several more courses; and so on. As will be seen from the drawings, the portion of one yarn which extends vertically hetween the parts of the fabric wherein it is knit will lie over the horizontally extending floats of the other yarn and will serve to hold these floats against the body of the fabric. In general, long loose return yarns may yarns on the back of the fabric. In the production of these diamonds, as will he understood, the cuttings of those pattern wheels which are associated with successive travelers will be such that an increasing number of needles and then a debe held b v short vertical creasing number ot needles will be advanced at successive ones of the auxiliary yarn feeds. As above indicated, while diamonds are being formed of the red yarn 203 the blue yarn will be carried at the back of the fabric and will extend vertically as shown at 28E, and while the ,blue yarn is being knitted the red yarn will be at the back of the fabric and will extend vertically as shown at 2li.

Fig. 29 shows the front oi a fabric in which triangular designs 208 of auxiliary yarn are provided in a fabric, the main yarn of which is interknitted at 2.8. In the production of this fabric the cutting of the pattern wheels associated with successive travelers is such as to advance an increasing number of needles thruout several courses and then to advance no needles thruout several more, the pattern wheels associated with the main-yarn feeds being arranged so as not to advance the needles advanced by the pattern wheels of preceding auxiliary-yarn units, but to advance all the needles during the courses indicated at III, wherein the preceding pattern wheels do not advance any of the needles.

In Fig. 30 there is shown a design effect produced by including a number of differently co1- ored yarns in a fabric, the body of which' is white yarn. For instance, a triangular design of black yarn 2H is produced by swinging the first of one group of ilngers outwardly, portions oi' red yarn 2|! are produced by swinging outwardly the second of the ngers of this group, and the portions of blue yarn 2|3 are produced by swinging outwardly the third ofthe fingers of this group.; while portions 2M of black yarn are formed by swinging outwardly the first of the ngers of another group, portions 215 of brown yarn are produced by swinging outwardly the second of the fingers of the second group, and portions ZIB of yellow yarn are produced by swinging outwardly the third oi' the lingers of the second group; the pattern wheels being cut to provide for the proper knitting-in as shown.

In Fig. 31 there is shown a zigzag stripe 2H 'which may be of heavy wool whereas the primary yarn is rayon. This zigzag stripe may be produced by having cuttings on those pattern wheels which are associated with successive travelers so that the following needles will be raisedA in successive courses: 1 7, 2 8, 3-9, 4 10, 5 11, 6 12, 7 13, 6 12, 5 11, 4 10, 3 9, 2-8, 1 7, 2 8, etc.:

It will be appreciated that the foregoing discussion of the particular needles to be raised is merely illustrative of the type of actuation which may be obtained in accordance with the invention, and it fs not intended to imply that the particular pattern wheels specically illustrated are cut to produce any particular one of these designs.

It will be appreciated that machines such as contemplated by the invention may be constructed to produce fabrics wherein design portions appear in some part of every wale, the invention in its broader aspects not being limited to machines wherein design portions appear only in certain wales although the invention may find its most frequent use in the latter type of machine. In Fig. 32 there is exempliied a fabric wherein the deslsn portion 2|! is in the form of diagonal stripes which cross each other, the design portion, for instance, being composed of red yarn while the remainder of the` fabric IIS is composed of white yarn.

In Figs. 33-37 there isvshown an embodiment ci the invention whereby design portions may be knitted in part of each Wale ofthe fabric. In the present instance the selective means used are pattern wheels so cut as to cause striping running diagonally in one direction to be embodied in the entire fabric. It will be appreciated, however, that by the use, in accordance with the invention, of suitable mechanism for feeding and embodying into the fabric the auxiliary yarn, and of selecting means, as for instance pattern wheels with suitable cuttings, or pattern-controlled Jacquard mechanism of suitable types, fabrics such as exemplified in Fig. 32 or fabrics containing any other desired type of design formation with the design portions appearing thruout different portions of all of the various wales may be produced. In the particular form of the invention here exemplified the various parts are similar to the parts previously exemplified, except as hereinafter indicated, and the corresponding parts, except where otherwise specifically designated, are designated by similar reference numerals with the subscript c.

In the present instance there are provided, instead of a single set of travelers each of which is tripped at predetermined points thruout the machine, a plurality of sets of travelers, (two, as exemplified) the travelers of one set being adapted to be tripped at certain points and the travelers of the other set being adapted to be tripped at certain other points, and certain fingers are adapted to be operated for supplying yarn to one set of travelers andA other fingers for supplying yarn to the other set of travelers, separate plunger cams being provided for the difierent sets of fingers. In order to readily understand the construction and operation, the bank of needles and the fabric produced thereby should be considered as divided into zones, the needles in zones E being controlled to knit yarn from one set of fingers, and the needles in the alternate zones F being controlled to receive yarn from the other set of4 fingers. While the zones as illustreated are divided by straight lines for the sake of simplicity, it should be understood that in ordinary practice adjacent zones will not be separated by straight lines, but that the rows of knitted yarn will meet first on one side and then on the other side of the median line between the zones, so as to insure suiiicient overlapping between one end of a row in one zone and the other end of a succeeding row in the other zone, for example as shown at Q in Fig. 33, so that the two zones will be securely interknitted in the form of a continuous fabric. It will be appreciated that each traveler feeds the yarn in a position to be received byneedles a suilicient distance to each side of the median division line of the zones to permit this overlapping. In cases, however. where the portion "of the fabric in the different zones is held securely together by other means, as where the main yarn is caught into the fabric as by interlocking thruout the pattern areas, as in Figs. 9-12, the division line between the zones may be a straight line. There are provided separate actuating units for controlling the needles for the reception of auxiliary yarn from each of the two sets oi fingers, as weil as actuating units for controlling the reception of primary yarn from the main-yarn feeds. s In the present construction each actuating unit comprises a pattern wheel 34e arranged similarly to the pattern wheel 34, but, of course, specially cut. The pattern wheels 34e shown at G and H, which are adapted to select the needles for receiving auxiliary yarn, are entirely slotted so as to be inop- 

